How Heavy Do Rats Get?
WouterRats are medium-sized rodents with long tails that are found in the order Rodentia. While the stereotypical rat is in the genus Rattus, there are also other genera including Neotoma, Bandicota, and Dipodomys.
A young rat weighs 0.15 ounces when it’s born. By the time it reaches a hundred days of age, it will weigh nearly eight ounces. Rats begin to grow body hair approximately two to three days after birth, and they open their eyes anywhere from 10 to 17 days after birth. The average adult rat weighs between 200 and 250 grams.
A common brown rat can grow to be 1.1 pounds or more, depending on their gender and body mass. Their length is typically around 10 inches, not including their tails. Pet rats are smaller than their wild counterparts, which are about half that length. The genus Rattus contains over 60 different species of rats.
Rats grow at a rate of approximately an inch a month for the first three months, but then growth slows down. Rats will reach sexual maturity after four to six months. If you decide to keep more than one rat, it’s important to know how much each species weighs.
Rats are omnivores, which means that they eat many different types of food. Their natural diet contains fruits, seeds, insects, and nuts. Rats are known to be serious pests in their native habitats, and can cause a variety of environmental problems.
